A single-mode, high index-contrast, lead silicate glass fibre with high nonlinearity, broadband near-zero dispersion at telecommunication wavelengths

We report on the design, fabrication and characterization of a single-mode W-type lead silicate glass fibre with flattened and near-zero dispersion profile at telecom wavelengths and high nonlinearity of 820 W-1km-1 at 1.55 µm

Perceptions of Reading Instruction

It follows that there exists an obvious need for elementary reading programs to be closely articulated with the developing and changing reading requirements of pupils as they progress through the elementary grades. There is an even more obvious need for close cooperation between teachers and administrators in order to implement reading programs that meet pupil requirements

Phase sensitive amplification in a highly nonlinear lead-silicate fibre

We experimentally demonstrate phase-sensitive amplification in a highly nonlinear lead-silicate W-type fibre. A phase-sensitive gain swing of 6dB was observed in a 1.56m sample of the fibre for a total launched power of 33dBm

Buildings as a seismic source: analysis of a release test at Bagnoli, Italy

Taking advantage of a large displacement-release experiment on a twostory reinforced concrete building located in Bagnoli (Naples, Italy), we performed free-field measurements using 3D seismometers, accelerometers, and a 100-m-long vertical array. The ground motion was noticeable: near the building, the acceleration exceeded 5% g. At each measurement point, it was possible to recognize two source terms, due to the tested building and to the reaction structure. The two sources generated different wave trains. High-frequency accelerations propagated as Rayleigh waves, whereas 1–2 Hz waves carrying most of the displacement propagated only as body waves. The experiment lends further support to the hypothesis that buildings are able to modify substantially the free-field ground motion in their proximity: the peak ground acceleration we observed is the 20% of the ground acceleration required to produce a displacement on the building equal to the one imposed during the release test. We recognize, however, the difficulty of a realistic modeling of wave propagation in the topmost layer of a densely urbanized area

Flat, broadband supercontinuum generation at low pulse energies in a dispersion-tailored lead-silicate fibre

We report flat, broadband supercontinuum generation at low pump pulse energies (69pJ 740fs pulses at 1540nm) in a lead-silicate fibre providing a unique combination of high nonlinearity (820W-1km-1) and a flat near-zero dispersion profile

The Past, Present, and Future of Non-Viral CAR T Cells

Adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T lymphocytes is a powerful technology that has revolutionized the way we conceive immunotherapy. The impressive clinical results of complete and prolonged response in refractory and relapsed diseases have shifted the landscape of treatment for hematological malignancies, particularly those of lymphoid origin, and opens up new possibilities for the treatment of solid neoplasms. However, the widening use of cell therapy is hampered by the accessibility to viral vectors that are commonly used for T cell transfection. In the era of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines and CRISPR/Cas (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-CRISPR-associated) precise genome editing, novel and virus-free methods for T cell engineering are emerging as a more versatile, flexible, and sustainable alternative for next-generation CAR T cell manufacturing. Here, we discuss how the use of non-viral vectors can address some of the limitations of the viral methods of gene transfer and allow us to deliver genetic information in a stable, effective and straightforward manner. In particular, we address the main transposon systems such as Sleeping Beauty (SB) and piggyBac (PB), the utilization of mRNA, and innovative approaches of nanotechnology like Lipid-based and Polymer-based DNA nanocarriers and nanovectors. We also describe the most relevant preclinical data that have recently led to the use of non-viral gene therapy in emerging clinical trials, and the related safety and efficacy aspects. We will also provide practical considerations for future trials to enable successful and safe cell therapy with non-viral methods for CAR T cell generation

From the Cure of the Simple Structural Analysis to the Control of the Final Technological Quality - The Conservation of "Santa Maria Degli Angeli Orphanage" in Castelgrande (Potenza, Italy)

The conservation work carried out on the “Santa Maria degli Angeli” Orphanage in Castelgrande (Potenza, Italy) following the earthquakes of 1980 and 1981 is a good example of the need to evolve and refine the concept of seismic consolidation and upgrade of monumental heritage; this, considering not only the needs of the current structural calculation, but also those related to the design of durability and overall technological quality. Built from 1878 around the original nucleus of a chapel, the seminary, then an orphanage, kindergarten, nursery school, sewing workshop and school, and summer mountain colony, constitute a precise landmark in the landscape of the ancient town of Castelgrande. Severely damaged by the earthquakes, it was declared unfit for use and evicted, and is still abandoned today.Immediately afterwards, radical refurbishment works were carried out on it, with the creation of sub-foundations, injections and tackles with reinforced concrete slabs for the load-bearing walls, replacement of the floors in steel beams and bricks with reinforced concrete floors, replacement of the wooden roofs with others of the same configuration, but in steel beams and clay tables, with a reinforced concrete slab above. The workings were not completed due to lack of funds and those performed so far show today serious pathologies (in particular the corrosion of the reinforcement of the joist of the floors and of the steel beams) as result of the lack of attention to fundamentals of materials science and of durability. Based on the current legislation and calculation methods, the research verified the seismic vulnerability of the building and proposed the necessary corrective actions: in particular, the replacement of the roofs with others, lighter and more durable, made of laminated, conditioned local Quercus cerris wood. A new destination has been proposed, linked to the presence of the Astronomical Observatory, and its upgrade to nZEB has been designed, in respect of its monumental features